Ancient mountainous nation offers a trip to cloud wine

Iconic church

Stepantsminda is a small urban settlement located in the north of Georgia in Mtskheta-Mtianeti Province, directly at the foot of majestic Mount Kazbek. Until 2007, the town was called Kazbegi. It got this name in honor of the Georgian writer Alexander Kazbegi, a native of this land.

Stepantsminda is considered a popular bathing therapy resort. The famous Georgian Military Road, which connects Russia and Georgia, passes through the town.

The town is a base for some wonderful walking and mountain biking. What 20 years ago was just a big village has now grown into a sprawling town, with guesthouses and hotels everywhere and tourists arriving by the busload in the summer months.

While this may not have added to Stepantsminda's charm, the town's location remains stunning and it's still easy to escape the crowds and explore the surrounding mountains and valleys in peace.

As an iconic building, the silhouette of the hilltop church, Tsminda Sameba, against the glacier of Mount Kazbek is a sight that never ceases to amaze, despite its reproduction on a million postcards.

This 14th-century church 2,200 meters above sea level in Stepantsminda has become almost a symbol of Georgia. This is down to its photogenic setting, with the mighty Mount Kazbek rising behind it, and for the fierce determination involved in building it on such a lofty, isolated perch.

Tourists used to take a shuttle car to the church years ago and the price was not cheap. But now a circuitous new road leads up to the church that even a small car can complete without difficulty. However, you can still walk up to the church in one to two hours from town. As a reward, the views back over Stepantsminda are incredible.